Program Objectives The primary objectives of the dairy farm business management program are to (1) assist farmers in developing and maintaining more complete farm business data for use in management decisions and (2) help farmers improve their management skills through appropriate use of farm record data and application of modern decision-making techniques. This report is prepared in workbook form for use in the systematic study of individual farm business performance. The need for a thorough dairy farm business examination and follow-up plan is greater than ever. The years immediately ahead will bring continued economic pressures on dairy farmers. We must continue to place emphasis on cost control and improvements in operating efficiency to maintain adequate farm incomes. Projecting cash flows to determine future cash needs, and carefully planning how those needs can be met, will be required to survive the current dairy farm financial crisis. New Developments This year, several farm management agents and specialists are participating in a Dairy Farm Business Summary Pilot Program. Cooperative Extension Associations with appropriate microcomputers, have the capability to strengthen their dairy farm business analysis activities by calculating and printing the individual farm summary and analysis reports for immediate use by the agent and farmer, at any time. After the individual farm data is entered in the county office using the Micro DFBS computer program, it is sent to the Department of Agricultural Economics at Cornell University for additional review prior to transfer to a mainframe computer program for calculation of regional and state summaries. Four dairy farmers participating in the milk diversion program are included in this report. Since this is a relatively small number, the data from these farms has not been summarized separately. A separate summary and analysis of milk diversion program farms will be included in the 1984 New York State Dairy Farm Business Summary.